Tag: Japan
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Hiking the Kumano Kodo, One of Japan’s Most Incredible Journeys
They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step but I would say that my journey of considerably less miles began with an Instagram photo that looked a little like this: It turns out that the location in this picture is on a sacred UNESCO world heritage pilgrimage route (of…
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Yes, We Really Do Have Snow Monkeys…….Love, Japan
Now that we are fully into the winter season here in Japan, I thought that I might take this time tell you more about visiting the snow monkeys in Japan. Monkeys seem to be one of Japan’s most ubiquitous animals (surprising, I know) when you get out into different parts of the Japanese countryside, and…
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My Top Five Recommendations for Your First Time to Tokyo
Because I’ve lived in Tokyo for over ten years, I get a lot of questions from first-time visitors about the best things to see and do. I think it’s time for my top five recommendations honed over years of experience which I hope will ensure that you have a great time during your stay in…
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Golden Gai: One Place Not To Miss When in Tokyo
When most people come to Tokyo, they hit up three main places: Harajuku/Meiji Jingu shrine, Asakusa and Sensoji Temple, and the Shibuya Crossing (the famous huge crosswalk with all the TVs at the top of the buildings featured in most non-Japanese films set in Tokyo). The Shinjuku area is also visited by most tourists because…
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The Best Place to Stay for Your First Time in Tokyo
Finding the best place to stay for your first time in Tokyo is more important than you might think, but most first-time visitors to Tokyo are actually not familiar with any of the names of individual neighborhoods within the city. The place where they end up staying is usually a result of where the hotel…
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The Robot Will Serve You Now – A Trippy Visit to the World’s First Robot-Staffed Hotel
First Things First If you want to see an in-depth look at our visit to the robot hotel, check out Tamatha, Robbie, and I on Robbie’s Youtube video here. The section on Henna Hotel starts at 5:50, but the whole video starting from Fukuoka is a lot of fun. You can see more of the…
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The Art of the Unexpected in Kurashiki, Japan
Some way or another, if you travel long enough, you are bound to meet the Travel Fairy, who I’ve come to define as a person who can take on any age, any gender, any voice, any appearance, you name it, but this person comes into your life to either take you on a journey or…
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Castles, Gardens, and Peach Boys—The Top 5 Things to Do in Okayama, Japan
So where was I going when I visited the new bus terminal in Tokyo that I mentioned in my last post? My primary intention had been to visit the art island of Naoshima, which is only about an hour by train followed by a 20-minute ferry. However, I had also come with the…
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Getting on the Bus from “Busta,” the New All-In-One Bus Terminal in Tokyo, Japan
For the last ten years, I’ve patiently watched a hole in the ground across from the busiest train station in the world take shape. There were many times I wondered what was being built there and if it would ever get done, and just why exactly it was taking so long. Sometime within the last…
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My First Trip to Naoshima, Japan’s Art Island
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sleep in an art museum? Ever had the chance to walk into an abandoned house only to find a two-story replica of the Statue of Liberty? Posed with a pumpkin covered in dots at the edge of the sea? Found yourself surrounded by Monet’s “Waterlilies”…